Imam Mohammed Lanson Abubakar, 44, also known as Andre, pleaded not guilty to the offence but was detained by the Court after the prosecution said he jumped an earlier police inquiry bail.

Chief Inspector, Jonas Lawer informed the Court presided over by Isaac Addo that due to that act, the Police had been unable to conclude the investigation, and that he may not appear for trial when granted bail.

The Court asked about his whereabouts on March 27, 2024, when a bench warrant for his arrest was issued after he failed to appear in court.

He was, therefore, remanded to assist police in the investigation and to be brought back on September 2, 2024.

According to Police Chief Inspector Laweh, Maimuna Sarki Abubakar, the complainant’s wife is a Social Worker and a Nigerian citizen residing in the United Kingdom.

He said that Mr Abubakar [accused] is a self-styled Imam and businessman in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, and the complainant was his estranged wife.

Chief Inspector Lawer stated that the accused met Maimuna on social media, and they started chatting, during which time he presented himself to her as an Imam of a mosque and persuaded her to marry him, to which she accepted, and they married.

Prior to the separation, Maimuna purchased a plot of land in East Trassaco from Abubakar and built a one-story dwelling on it, the Court heard.

The prosecution said Maimuna subsequently furnished the house and returned to the United Kingdom, stating that whenever she visited Ghana to see her husband, she stayed in the property with him.

Chief Inspector Lawer said in 2020, Mr Abubakar persuaded Maimuna to buy and ship 2020 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 Infinity CPX vehicles to him in Ghana, with the intention of selling the cars and using the proceeds to buy a parcel of land at Adjiringanor for her.

Maimuna then bought the vehicles and shipped them to Mr Abubakar, who used the proceeds to buy four plots of land in Adjiringanor.

Later, the marriage deteriorated, and Mr Abubakar threatened her during one of their disagreements, stating, “I have scammed you; I am taking over your building and all your property here in Ghana including your daughter. If you dare get closer to this property again, I will kill you.”

In pleading for bail, Mr Abubakar’s counsel said that her client did not jump bail, claiming that he travelled and did not threaten Maimuna as charged.

The Court was told they are seeking a divorce at the Adentan Court.

She said Mr Abubakar is a responsible family person, had a fixed place of abode and would be available to stand trial.

Source: GNA

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He added, “my wife left me when she learnt about my drugging lifestyle. I should not be struggling but because of drugs nobody is willing to help me.”

Imam Mohammed indicated that he is a plumber and would want to establish a plumbing business when he leaves prison vowing to quit drugs.

The recidivist said his family did not help him access his savings to enable him to pay a fine of One Thousand Two Hundred Ghana cedis resulting in his imprisonment.

“My relatives said I am stubborn so they did not care when I was being sentenced. Though I could afford the fine they did not help me access my money,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Kumasi Central Prison, DSP Richard Bukari, has urged Mohammed’s family to give him the necessary support to enable him to re-integrate properly into society.

He indicated that neglecting such persons rather worsens their situation.

“Families and societies should rather embrace people no matter how they are. This will help them feel a sense of belonging which will create a safe space for them to reintegrate into society,” he entreated.

With support from a donor, ‘Star of David’, Crime Check Foundation (CCF) paid the fine for his release when it visited him at the prison.

Mohammed was grateful for the gesture and promised to turn a new leaf.

“God bless you for the support. I was very excited when I heard I would be going home. I have been worried about my family’s neglect so I have stopped doing drugs,” he vowed.

The victim’s parents, together with the supposed husband’ and his parents as well as an Abeka Imam, who witnessed the marriage ceremony, have been arraigned on forced marriage charges.

The 12-year-old victim was married to a 26-year-old man known as Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney.

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The accused persons are Mohammed Kamal Yusif, a 53-year-old driver and Rufkatu Abdallah, a 49-year old trader, Sherif Idris, Adizatu Alhassan, Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney, and Sheikh Hidir Idris Adams, the Imam.

Three other accomplices namely Sheikh Hidir Adams, Sheikh Amin Osuman and Sheikh Dr. Bashir Adams, are said to be at large.

They pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime, abetment of crime and forced marriage.

The Circuit Court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku has admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with one surety each to appear again on October 8.

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The victim, who was kept at a shelter in Osu, Accra, has now been released to the Assemblyman of Abeka, Umar Abdul Muma Yaro.

This is to enable the victim, who is a Junior High School form three Student to continue with her education.

The court ordered the assemblyman to inform the court, if he at any point is unable to take care of the victim.

Lawyer for the accused persons prayed the court for bail since they would not abscond from the jurisdiction.

Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo said Mohammed Kamal and Rufkatu Abdallah are the biological parents of the victim and they reside at Abeka Zongo.

Sherif Idris and Adizatu Alhassan are the parents of Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney aged 26 years.

ASP Boafo said on July 26, this year, at about 1000 hours, the Tesano Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit had information that the victim had been married to Prince Sharif Dekeeney.

Prosecution said the Tesano Unit Commander assigned Detective Sergeant Francis Sevor to follow up on the matter.

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On August 16, this year, the accused persons were arrested and the victim was rescued from her parents and taken to a Shelter at Osu.

Prosecution said the victim was taken to the hospital for medical examination where it was established that the victim had had sexual intercourse.

When the victim was asked who defiled her, she mentioned one Kwame and not Prince.

Prosecution said the Police has not been able to arrest the said Kwame to assist in investigations.

Meanwhile, the six accused persons have admitted the offence, but Prince Sharif Dekeeney told the Police that he had paid bride price to Mohammed Kamal Yusif and Rufkatu Abdallah.

Investigations revealed that the marriage ceremony was graced by Sheikh Abass Saleh, the Abeka Imam.

Sports Journalist and former Spokesperson of the Hajj Committee, Mohammed Amin Lamptey, claims the head of the Muslim community in Ghana sought to impress on Anas Aremeyaw and his Tiger Eye team to shelve the exposé.

“As part of this Anas Aremeyaw exposé, I am putting it before you…we have this big man who wanted to meet Anas Aremeyaw Anas since it was an issue between two Muslims — if you like Kwesi Nyantakyi and Anas Aremeyaw Anas,” he told Odiasempa Kwame Oware of Happy FM.

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He claimed there was a meeting called by Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu between President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi and Anas to impress on the journalist to drop the video, however, that meeting never happened.

World football governing body, FIFA, has since suspended President of the Ghana Football Association for 90 days following a petition by Anas.

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“You can refer to my article [an article he said he wrote on the matter]. I did not mention the person’s name. I upheld the name. I can tell you today that the National Chief Imam Osman Nuhu Sharabutu is that big man, as the leader of Muslims in this country. So Anas went ahead and showed the video and we all saw what happened,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Amin Lamptey said ‘Number Twelve’ cannot be regarded as an evidence of corruption in Ghanaian football.

“Nobody says that corruption in Ghana football is correct.  But we are saying that you need to get people red-handed doing it and when you bring the evidence, nobody will ever raise an eyebrow. But we saw on the video, I mean the cut and paste,” he said.

Mr. Amin Lamptey, a politician, contested the Ayawaso North parliamentary seat on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress but lost to Yussif Jajah in 2015.

Over 130 imams from across the United Kingdom have said they will refuse to perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer for the London and Manchester terror attackers. The ritual is normally carried out for every Muslim, regardless of their actions.

In what is a highly unusual move, Muslim religious leaders from different schools of Islam — both Sunni and Shia — issued a statement late Monday saying their pain at the suffering of the victims of Saturday’s attacks had led to their decision, and they called on others imams to follow suit.

“We are deeply hurt that a spate of terror attacks have been committed in our country once more by murderers who seek to gain religious legitimacy for their actions. We seek to clarify that their reprehensible actions have neither legitimacy nor our sympathy,” the statement put out by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella body representing over 500 organizations, read.

“Consequently, and in light of other such ethical principles which are quintessential to Islam, we will not perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer for the perpetrators and we also urge fellow imams and religious authorities to withdraw such a privilege. This is because such indefensible actions are completely at odds with the lofty teachings of Islam,” the statement continued.

They expressed “shock and utter disgust” at Saturday’s “cold-blooded murders,” and said the actions of the attackers “alienates them from any association with our community for whom the inviolability of every human life is the founding principle (Q.5:32).”

The 130 leaders commended London’s police and emergency services, saying, “their response exemplifies the courage, humanity and honour we must exhibit in such difficult times.”

“These vile murderers seek to divide our society and instil fear; we will ensure they fail,” the statement said. “We implore everyone to unite: we are one community. In the face of such dastardly cowardice, unlike the terrorists, we must uphold love and compassion.”

The statement was issued one day after the MCB held a press conference during which its secretary general, Harun Khan, suggested the move.

He said that while a campaign would be launched to urge mosques to increase their vigilance, “the path towards extremism is outside of the mosque and at the margins of society.”

On Saturday, three attackers rammed a car into pedestrians on London Bridge, then exited and ran into nearby Borough Market, stabbing people. Seven were killed and dozens injured in the attack, which was later claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Less than a week earlier, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, killing 22.